South Korea officially opened its embassy in Cuba, almost a year after the two countries established diplomatic relations, Yonhap reported on Saturday. The ceremony was held on Friday in Havana, the Cuban capital, and was marked by the presence of several high-ranking personalities.
Among the participants were Lee Joo-il, director general of South American affairs at the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as Carlos Pereira, director general of bilateral affairs at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This inauguration marks an important step in strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations.
South Korea plans to appoint its ambassador to Cuba soon. For its part, Cuba has already appointed Claudio Monzon Baeza as new ambassador to South Korea, the latter having taken office last week. The two countries had announced the formal establishment of diplomatic relations on February 14 last year, an unexpected development on the international scene.
According to the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the opening of this embassy aims to facilitate the lives of South Korean citizens living or traveling in Cuba, by offering them consular protection and strengthening bilateral exchanges. Currently, around 30 South Koreans reside on the island, according to official statistics.
-Havana is also expected to inaugurate its embassy in Seoul in a few months. According to Anadolu, this diplomatic breakthrough could represent a new era of cooperation and friendship between the two countries, despite Cuba’s past as an ally of North Korea during the Cold War.
The initial information was published on the website of our colleague Anadolu.
